Google Street View Controversy Moves to Australia

Australia's privacy commissioner on Friday concluded that while Google's collection of unencrypted Wi-Fi data likely violated the country's Privacy Act, her hands werre tied when it comes to imposing sanctions. Instead, Google has agreed to take steps to prevent further violations.

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Australia's privacy commissioner on Friday concluded that while Google's collection of unencrypted Wi-Fi data likely violated the country's Privacy Act, her hands werre tied when it comes to imposing sanctions. Instead, Google has agreed to take steps to prevent further violations.

In related news, Google also announced Friday that it will resume Street View data collection in Ireland, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden starting next week.

"On the information available I am satisfied that any collection of personal information would have breached the Australian Privacy Act," Commissioner Karen Curtis said in a statement. "Under the current Privacy Act, I am unable to impose a sanction on an organisation when I have initiated the investigation. My role is to work with the organisation to ensure ongoing compliance and best privacy practice."

As a result, Google has agreed to take several steps to ensure future compliance with Australian law.

First, Google published an apology on its official Australia blog. Alan Eustace, senior vice president of engineering and research at Google, said the company welcomes the Australian commission's conclusion of its investigation, and pledged to work "even more closely with them going forward on the privacy implications of our product launches."

"We want to reiterate to Australians that this was a mistake for which we are sincerely sorry," Eustace continued. "Maintaining people's trust is crucial to everything we do and we have to earn that trust every single day. We are acutely aware that we failed badly here."

Google will also be required to conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) on any new Street View data collection activities it undertakes in Australia that might include personal information. Those PIA's must be handed over to Curtis's office.

Finally, Google must regularly consult with Curtis and her staff about future product launches that might include the collection of personal data.

This arrangement will be in effect for at least three years, Curtis said.

"These steps will ensure Google's future products have privacy protections built in rather than bolted on," Curtis said.

The issue dates back to May, when Google admitted that Wi-Fi collection devices attached to its Street View cars had mistakenly collected data from unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. Google said this data has never been thoroughly examined and likely does not contain identifying information, but regulators expressed concern nonetheless.

Google collected this Wi-Fi data in order to improve its location-based services, and it was unrelated to the photographs its Street View cars captured for its 360-degree, street-level maps feature. Nonetheless, Google grounded its fleet of Street View cars while the Wi-Fi issue was sorted out.

The Wi-Fi data collection devices have since been removed from the vehicles, and after speaking to the relevant regulators in several countries, Street View photography will resume next week in Ireland, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden, Google said in a blog post.

"We expect to add more countries in time," wrote Brian McClendon, vice president of engineering for Google Geo. "Our cars will no longer collect any Wi-Fi information at all, but will continue to collect photos and 3D imagery as they did before."

McClendon again acknowledged that Google made "serious mistakes" when it collected the Wi-Fi data, but the company believes that Street View "is a great product for users."

Chloe Albanesius has been with PCMag.com since April 2007, most recently as Executive Editor for News and Features. Prior to that, she worked for a year covering financial IT on Wall Street for Incisive Media. From 2002 to 2005, Chloe covered technology policy for The National Journal's Technology Daily in Washington, DC. She has held internships at NBC's Meet the Press, washingtonpost.com, the Tate Gallery press office in London, Roll Call, and Congressional Quarterly. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from American University...
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